| Most web-savvy people quickly learn why they | | | | directories or reference pages. Getting your |
| need "links" from other sites pointing at | | | | link on some of these secondary sources is |
| theirs. Your inbound links are one of the | | | | almost guaranteed to result in traffic, so it |
| most important ways of generating traffic to | | | | is worth the effort -- and sometimes the cost |
| your website, and influencing the search | | | | -- of getting listed in the resources that |
| engines. | | | | score high for your keywords. |
| | | | |
| Traffic is what linking is all about. Without | | | | Traffic from Search Engines |
| traffic your website is useless as a tool for | | | | |
| selling your products or communicating your | | | | The second reason for getting inbound links |
| ideas. Getting links from other websites is | | | | is to impress the search engines. Most search |
| not the only way to generate traffic, but it | | | | engines use the quantity and quality of your |
| is probably the most important one. | | | | inbound links to evaluate the importance and |
| | | | relevance of your site to specific keywords. |
| But how do links generate traffic? | | | | For instance, if you sell a product like Full |
| | | | Color Vinyl Banners, or you are a Real Estate |
| Direct traffic from links | | | | agent servicing San Diego Real Estate, one of |
| | | | your objectives is to rank high for searches |
| First, links generate direct traffic. Links | | | | done on your primary search phrase (and other |
| from sites that share your target audience | | | | similar ones). |
| will be an important source of traffic to | | | | |
| your site. A visitor to the other web site | | | | This will result in traffic because when |
| sees the link to yours, clicks on it, and | | | | people search for your important keywords |
| becomes your visitor. Some estimates put the | | | | your site is more likely to show up in the |
| percentage of internet traffic resulting from | | | | search results. The more inbound links you |
| this kind of link as high as 21% of total | | | | have that relate your site to full color |
| traffic. | | | | vinyl banners or web promotion services, or |
| | | | "fill in your keyword here", the higher your |
| Why do people click on these links? One | | | | site is likely to rank for these terms, and |
| reason is they may view a link to an outside | | | | the more search engine traffic you are likely |
| source as an endorsement. They assume the | | | | to receive as a result. |
| webmaster is saying "Here is a source you | | | | |
| will find interesting or helpful". They are | | | | Using Articles to get traffic and influence |
| looking for the kind of service you provide, | | | | the search engines |
| so they click on the link to check you out. | | | | |
| | | | Embedding your links in articles is one of |
| But just as important is simple curiosity. | | | | the best methods of rapidly increasing your |
| Someone sees a text link with intriguing | | | | inbound links. Many times a well-written |
| wording like "Powerful Cheap Advertising" or | | | | article will show up in hundreds of places on |
| "Win a Free iPod" or "See Pamela Anderson | | | | the web. And if it has your link embedded in |
| Video" and, depending on their interests, a | | | | it, that will obviously increase your inbound |
| certain number of people are likely to click | | | | links. Webmasters pick up these articles |
| on it. | | | | because they want content to enhance the |
| | | | value of their sites. |
| This suggests at least three things about | | | | |
| your links. First, you should get as many | | | | Articles will also generate direct traffic |
| links as possible on pages your target | | | | because people who read them are already |
| audience is likely to be visiting. The more | | | | interested in your subject matter, and are |
| people see your links, the more traffic you | | | | therefore more likely to click on your link. |
| are likely to get. | | | | |
| | | | This suggests that the most valuable place to |
| Second, your anchor text (the words that are | | | | publish your article is in a themed or |
| linked) should be intriguing. It should be | | | | categorized article resource. For instance, |
| short and sweet, and suggest a benefit -- a | | | | if your product is "health" related, having |
| reason for people to click on it. | | | | it published on health-oriented sites will be |
| | | | more valuable than having it published on |
| Third, your links should be on pages that | | | | generic sites. |
| people actually look at. Having hundreds of | | | | |
| links on pages that nobody ever looks at will | | | | You can even take this a step further. If |
| not result in traffic -- at least not direct | | | | your article is about something more specific |
| traffic. Putting your link on a link exchange | | | | like "weight loss advice", then getting it |
| page containing hundreds of services similar | | | | published on sites that focus on "weight |
| to yours is not likely to generate very many | | | | loss" will get more "reads", and have a |
| clicks. This is why exchanging links with | | | | greater influence on the search engines. |
| link directories is such a questionable waste | | | | |
| of time. Web visitors rarely look at these | | | | Second, when embedding your link, try to use |
| directories. | | | | anchor text that contains one of your |
| | | | important keywords, not just your URL or web |
| Finding good pages where you can place your | | | | address. Remember that search engines are |
| link is not always easy. One method is to | | | | dumb. |
| systematically do searches for your most | | | | |
| important keywords -- the search phrases | | | | One of your objectives is to have them relate |
| people are likely to use when looking for | | | | your website to specific search terms |
| your kind of product or service. Many of the | | | | (keywords or key phrases). And the best way |
| results will be competitors of yours. But one | | | | to do that is to use them as your anchor |
| or two may be secondary sources such as | | | | text. |